Article from the post reunion edition of 'Call Sign Vampire', the Association's official newsletter.

An inside look at the the reunion through the eyes of Denise!  A weird and wonderful place, but please remember it was over 3 months ago now so I deny any responsibilty for the accuracy of the reporting on the events as they unfolded! 

FRIDAY APRIL 1:
After breakfast, it was down to the foyer collecting people along the way. Surprising how many attendees had arrived early. Most went their own way during the day which left us to set up the Registration area by ourselves. Not that this year there was a great deal to do as we had the Vietnam Veteran’s Museum bring in their Mobile Museum to display. Also had a military buff, who’s name I cannot remember, come along to show his RAAMC/RAANC memorabilia too. So apart from John Knowles, Don Chapman, Ann Healey and myself to organise name tags and staple the Order of Service for Sunday at the Shrine there was not a great deal for anyone to do in the room. The others then left to do the tourist bit while Bob & Robin Watson helped the Viet Vets Museum to set up their display. Paul & Sherryn set up their “Who are these people” photos (poster sized – 40 photos to each poster) …. who knows, one day we may eventually have names for all the faces! Later Bob & Derek the Hood toddled off to Wiliamstown to pick up the birthday cake for the 37th Birthday bash that night while I completed the set up of the Registration tables and began to set up the merchandise stand for AB. Half an hour before opening registration AB arrived from Adelaide with all the merchandise, while he went and deposited his luggage in his room and tried to make himself even more beautiful, I unpacked the merchandise and made sure it was presented in good military style (I’ve been told ‘right dressing’ is the name for this).

By 3.30 PM a crowd had begun to form outside the door to Registration, some anxious newcomers intent on getting past the door-bitch (sorry, Sherryn) but what the heck …. they forced their way past her and we were inundated.  Robin Watson & Don Chapman ripped money off everyone who came through the door, selling them 3 raffle tickets for $ 5 and as there were 4 separate raffles they took $20 off everyone! They were amazing the way they fleeced everyone, so quickly, so painlessly …. my heroes! (We ended up taking $1300 in raffles before they were drawn on Saturday Night).  Meanwhile I flogged off all the association merchandise. After 2 hours in the registration area it was time to clear the room, lock it down and get ourselves ready for the Buffet Dinner that evening in the State Ballroom for the 37th Vampire Birthday Bash! Room was nicely set up, and I had placed birthday goody bags at every place. This consisted of a bag of lollies (minus the black jelly beans because I ate them while I packed the bags), one balloon (they had to blow it up) and one noise maker - all stuffed inside a brown paper bag, folded over with a special birthday bash sticker I had printed off here for the occasion (I know, I’m a glutton for punishment).  We had a large screen in the room and ran Paul’s 1AFH Vietnam slide show, Tyson’s chopper video he had made, and the DVD the Assoc put out on the unit too. Buffet food was good:- roast beef, vegetarian lasagne, some lovely fish, a chicken dish with salads and breads followed by a banquet of desserts – fruit salad, jelly, little custard moulds, cheesecakes and others that I can’t remember.Then it was time to have  a few speeches, Bob apologising in case he happened to walk past someone without acknowledging them … explained because of his lack of peripheral vision he just wouldn’t see people, then he told them about his upcoming (but by now had) prostate removing surgery. Time to cut the 37th Birthday Bash Birthday Cake now, so AB came to the stage to present Bob with the carving knife that Jack O’Brien had hand made for Bob as a personal thank you for all Bob’s hard work over the year. Knife is a stunning piece of workmanship, the blade covered in a myriad of little bats, handle made out of jarrah & stag horn all presented in a beautiful jarrah box lined with blue felt, and a little RAAMC Brass badge on top!

Jack, please accept my personal gratitude for this presentation to Bob. You will never know how much it means to him, you overwhelm us both with your generosity and craftmanship.

Bob then called on one of the nurses to come up to cut the cake with him, none were exactly rushing to the podium to join him but then Ann Healey jumped up. They cut the cake, they kissed, people took photos and then the Banquet staff then took off with the cake, sliced it up and served it at the table with coffee & tea. Clearing the room at the end of the night, Bob and I decided to hightail it to our room instead of heading to the bar as we usually would. Bob was running on empty and he needed to rest before the next day began.

SATURDAY APRIL 2:
Saturday morning arrived sooner than Bob would have liked but I was up and walking at 6am as usual. Lake still very boring despite having walked in the opposite direction that day, got half way around and turned back again, met a couple of our people along the way. Told them to turn back before they get bored and fell asleep at the wheel (so to speak), how those Grand Prix Drivers can drive that circuit all day is beyond me … so ‘not’ interesting! Back to the State Room for the Vampire Brekkie and Open Forum, what a spread. Shame I don’t eat much for breakfast but managed a grilled tomato, some bacon and a few slices of fresh pineapple before I began my three cups of very ordinary coffee. For everyone else there was a selection of omlettes, bacon, tomato, sausages, several varieties of cereal, fresh fruit, toast (fruit bread, grain, wholemeal & white), croissants, jams & the ubiquitous vegemite, yoghurts and there was fresh orange juice on every table. A feast for those that ate!The travel agent presented the back to Vietnam Tour along with a slide show (AV boy didn’t get out of bed for brekkie so his mother had to work the computer that morning), tour was well received and we now wait to see how many actually book.

Bob then got up and formally stood down from the Association as President and announcing the appointment by committee of Don Chapman as Acting President until such time as someone else puts up their hand for the job. Then he went on to announce that this next Call Sign Vampire issue will be my last, but reassured them that for now I will continue with the Web Site (with support), we also told them that I will be doing work on the Association Photo Archive before sending a complete copy of same to AWM and that I will be finally making a start on the 1st Australian Field Hospital Vietnam Photo Journal this year (that is if the Committee agrees on the project after the feasibility study is completed). There was other stuff, but can’t remember … nobody seem to give a damn anyway (too busy eating). Don Chapman got up and said a few words, but about what I couldn’t say (probably was hanging out for another coffee). After breakfast it was back to the Registration Area, where I set up a table for the Table Setting Forms for the formal dinner that night. Once set up, I then got out my pen and all the little bits of paper that had been thrust at me by those off to shop, sightsee or attend the footy (as in the real stuff - THE AFL) or the races. As I was doing this the rest of the ‘mob’ hung about the doors waiting for the Registration Area to be opened for the Saturday Morning session. When the doors opened, in they surged, frenzied seating plan filling was a happening, final merchandise purchasing was made, one last look around the Vietnam Veterans display … pushed the stragglers out the door with a ‘go and play in Melbourne, it’s a glorious day, go see, go do!’ After organising hotel staff to help pack up and move the Vietnam Veterans Museum display, Bob, Paul & I presented the museum with a print of 1AFH SVN for use in the static display at San Remo near Phillip Island in Victoria and a few badges for them to sell through their gift store to help raise extra funds for the museum’s upkeep (gave the guys a Vampire stubby holder each too as a token of our appreciation for giving up their time to make our reunion memorable).

Meanwhile, Linda had found the Crows AFL football team getting a rub down, after a training session, in  a public area of the hotel. My question is “what have I ever done to you, Linda, that you kept that little bit of information to yourself?” … you would have thought as a caring sharing type person she would have come and got me, her best friend! (Oh, OK I did talk to one of them the next day, he was cute and he did have a nice bum and flat tum … but only because Linda and the champagne made me).

Bob, Kirk, Allyson and by this time AB, headed to River’s Function Centre to set up the AV equipment and later when Bob and AB returned to the hotel, they assured me that the menus I had worked hard on were all in place and the laptop and screen were waiting for my commands later in the evening, headed for the bar and met up with Linda. All of a sudden after busy afternoon it was time to throw some makeup and get down to the bar for a champagne before the buses left for the venue. Only way to travel, and it was so good knowing that I didn’t have to drive home that night (for once … due to Bob’s ill health I have been the only driver in our house for nearly three years now).

On arrival at Rivers Reception & Function Centre on South Wharf, on the Yarra River looking back towards the city, I did a quick set up of names tags in the crowded foyer for those who were attending the dinner only. The function centre looked great, tables set beautifully (enhanced of course by my menus!), I was cornered by the band to see if we had any particular style of music we’d like played, said no not really but you are playing to a 60/70’s Vietnam Veteran group of people who like to party and dance! He got the message. Then after chatting to various people I made my way to the laptop and the big screen and started up my PowerPoint presentation of previous reunions, such as it was, and everyone just loved it! Let the party begin, drinks were served by the wonderful wait staff (so courteous and polite), people mingled and found their tables and their friends. Meals were served, and the food was perfect in everyway. The the wine and beer flowed, and people danced their little hearts out, many wandered outside for the view up the Yarra towards the city, those AFL supporters amongst us on the night genuflected towards the sacred site of Telstra Dome.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dick Turnbull (Pathology 1AFH SVN 1970/71) for his talk on the Tsunami Disaster in Banda Aceh earlier this year. Dick caught up with personnel of 1HSB, and John Pearn, his time in Indonesia and had several slides of the cleanup of the hospital in Banda Aceh by Australian Military personnel. An interesting talk, providing us with an confronting insight to the full horror of the Tsunami and it’s aftermath.

At 11.30pm it was loading time to get everyone back on the buses, what an orderly little group they can be at times. You don’t think everyone is getting old do you? Could have something to do with it ….. back at the hotel for a nightcap or two, leaving the diehards at the bar Bob and I headed to our room to get a good nights sleep before the next day’s activities.

By this time Bob’s strength was beginning to abandon him and he was overwhelmingly tired. ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. After three years of continual  ill health, I don’t think that too many are/were aware how much of a struggle physically and mentally this reunion was for Bob, the organisation and then the event itself. I am so proud of him, and know that you are too. He overcame so many personal difficulties to achieve this outstanding event for you, his dedication to the job at hand saw him deferring surgery to remove his cancerous prostate until after the event (reunion completed on the 6th April, surgery took place on the 12th). I applaud him for his courage and dedication to the Association.

SUNDAY APRIL 3rd:
Sunday Morning, another half lap around the Grand Prix track but at least this morning there was a little activity to keep the boredom at bay. They were filming what looked like an ad for some make or model of vehicle, all I can tell you is ‘it was black’! Back at the hotel, breakfast out of the way (carry around my container of muesli & birdseed wherever I go), showered and into the good clobber it was back onto charter buses for the short journey to the Shrine of Remembrance for the Dedication Service for the unit plaque, except we had to detour around some disturbance on St Kilda Road to get there. Finally we reached the Shrine, and of course, by this time light rain had begun to fall so a mad dash for cover was made (can tell you that stilettos and a mad dash are not compatible by any stretch of the imagination). On the mad dash for cover though, we all were stopped in our tracks by the sight of “THE BAT FLAG” flying at the Shrine. God, we were all so very proud. Fortunately Bob had organised with the Shrine for a ‘rain’ contingency plan and we  were ushered into a function room where the plaque was set up outside the glass windows guarded by a PSO (Protective Services Officer) dressed in the uniform of a WW1 Light Horseman uniform.

Lest We Forget: This day was tinged with much sadness, earlier it had been reported (when they could squeeze it in a  30 second break from covering the Pope’s death) that 9 of our finest young Defence force personnel had been killed in a helicopter crash in Indonesia while on service to deliver aid after yet another earthquake in the region. This tragic event made the day even more poignant and our hearts were breaking for them and their families. This being the case we asked Chaplain Gordon Hoskins to dedicate a few words to their memory in his service for the morning. As he spoke the words tears came to my eyes, a shiver ran down my spine (as it does now as I write this), how emotive, how powerful to be standing in the Shrine of Remembrance on this day of mourning for the young soldiers, sailors and airforce personnel who gave their lives during service to our Nation. 

The elder statesman of the unit, former Commanding Officer SVN, Mike Naughton gave an poignant address telling everyone what a magnificent job they did in their service to the country in Vietnam, that it was their dedication to the job at hand that was responsible for the saving of so many lives. An emotional Tich Tyson gave the ‘ode’. Wreathes for both 1st Australian Field Hospital and I Health Support Battalion were placed beside the plaque, and we were deeply honored to have MAJ Michael Gallagher, 1HSB, to lay a wreath on behalf of the current serving personnel of the unit. Once the dedication service was over, people filed past the plaque and despite being asked not to stop to take photos, like all good soldiers do, they ignored this and took as many photos as they could while walking past! Then they wandered off to find the tree that was eventually to be its home for ever more. People took the opportunity to wander through the Shrine, up onto the parapet to look down the forecourt, up St Kilda Road to view the city skyline not to mention the really good view of our flag flying in a stiff Melbourne breeze. Just prior to the buses departing for our luncheon venue there was mass group at the base of the flag pole waiting for the flag to be in full flight, fully extended, so as to get a good snapshot!

Onwards to the Celtic Club for our lunch, held upstairs in the Brian Boru room (although, rumour has it that one or two people never made it past the downstairs bar). Tables set up, people found seats for themselves, the jazz trio began to play, the bar got extremely busy, then we all just kicked back and relaxed. Meals were served, drinks were drunk, with some beautiful mellow jazz playing in the background … what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!  We had organised a lucky dip, and our wandering MC, the one the only ‘Tich Tyson’ organised the pulling of names out of the buckets, interviewing people who won the prizes (how apt that Tom Byrne won the little rodent, dressed in cams and with a rifle slung over its shoulder, that played and danced to ‘Over there, over there’ when you pressed its little hand), think Maureen won the ‘Bat’ earrings and for the life of me I cannot remember who won the other stuff! (It is nearly 3 months on as I type this section). Jazz trio continued to entertain, and by this stage were roaming the room taking and playing requests. I would like to thank them so much for their extremely fine rendition of ‘Take the A Train’ (my favourite – prefer the piano version, but they were very good regardless). At 4pm it was out the door and back onto the buses for the trip back to the Carlton Crest Hotel. On arrival back at the hotel we took over the lounge area at the bar and settled in for an hour or so more socialising and another drink or two. After that about a dozen of us wandered across the road to a restaurant for dinner, and so the camaraderie continued on again for a few more hours. Back to the hotel, it was off to our room so Bob could get a good nights rest prior to a traditional Days outing on the Monday.

MONDAY APRIL 4:
Arriving downstairs the foyer was full of people who couldn’t wait to go find Diver Dan (especially Robin Knowles … who has a thing for Diver, I think) and the Patch’s couldn’t wait to get to Queenscliff where they had once lived during Daryl’s posting to Fort Queenscliff a number of years ago. Me, well I couldn’t wait to get to the restaurant that had been built in Diver Dan’s Boat shed! (and oh, boy wasn’t there a little bonus waiting on our arrival … but more about beautiful Barwon Heads Boy later). Driving down the Princes Freeway, on our way to Geelong, we were continually harassed by some psycho in a four wheel drive, the occupants kept waving and smiling at us, you get all kinds on the roads these days. Funny though, the people looked somewhat like Alan & Linda Pearce and their relatives from overseas but surely that couldn’t have been AB driving like a hoon down our National Highway 1, now could it?

Leaving them behind, or was it the other way around, it was onwards to Geelong, through Geelong then down the road to Queenscliff. After a quick toilet stop, Denise, abandoned all pretense of interest in heading to tour the old Fort with the rest of the team (been there done that 1970/71 and a  whole other story … didn’t want to do it again) so she hit the shops then walked down to the fort to rejoin the crew for the journey to Barwon Heads. So this means I cannot tell you anything about the tour around Fort Queenscliff and as no-one else has been forthcoming with an article about that part of the trip, it will remain unreported!

As we arrived at our Luncheon venue ‘At the Heads’ the sun broke through the cloud cover and the ocean sparkled and shimmered to welcome us to our destination. Situated at the mouth of the Barwon River as it meets the Southern Ocean, the restaurant is brilliantly positioned to take advantage of the view along the coastline towards Ocean Grove. The lunch was fantastic, the food brilliant, the scenery (landscape and fauna) truly magnificent, the company outstanding. As venues go this one had so much ambience and oh what a challenge to the Sandgropers for the Vampire 2007 Traditional Day’s Outing.

VAMPIRE 2007 - PERTH:
Fortunately for the West Aussies, knowing so well what they have to play with over there in the way of venues they ‘will’ achieve another outstanding reunion for us all to enjoy in two years time.

WE SALUTE YOU: A message to the members from Bob & Denise Bell
Thank you everyone who attended Vampire 2005. This was Bob’s and my last reunion as organisers and we could not have gone out on a better or happier note than this. We thank you for your company, your support and your ability to make each reunion something special in its own right. We have had a blast and seeing your enjoyment over the years has made all our hard work so very worthwhile.